U.S. patent number 5,646,388 [Application Number 08/316,041] was granted by the patent office on 1997-07-08 for systems and methods for recording data.
This patent grant is currently assigned to LAU Technologies. Invention is credited to William D'Entremont, Mark Mesher, Michael O'Dea, Myron Waite.
United States Patent |
5,646,388 |
D'Entremont , et
al. |
July 8, 1997 |
Systems and methods for recording data
Abstract
Systems and methods for manufacturing and inspecting documents
having information recorded thereon are described that can include
a visual inspection cell, a recording unit, and a packaging unit.
The manufactured data cards can include driver's licenses, credit
cards, military identification cards, welfare cards, social
security cards, and other such cards having information recorded
thereon suitable for identifying persons or objects. In an optional
embodiment of the invention, the manufactured documents include a
laminated overlay that includes a holographic overlay as a security
feature and the visual inspection cell includes a lighting unit and
camera adapted to illuminate and image the recorded data positioned
behind the hologram.
Inventors: |
D'Entremont; William
(Boxborough, MA), Mesher; Mark (Wenham, MA), O'Dea;
Michael (Bedford, NH), Waite; Myron (Bedford, MA) |
Assignee: |
LAU Technologies (Acton,
MA)
|
Family
ID: |
23227211 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/316,041 |
Filed: |
September 30, 1994 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
235/380;
382/309 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B42D
25/328 (20141001); B42D 25/00 (20141001); B42D
25/309 (20141001); B42D 25/21 (20141001); B42D
25/23 (20141001); B42D 25/48 (20141001); B42D
25/485 (20141001); B42D 25/20 (20141001) |
Current International
Class: |
B42D
15/10 (20060101); G06K 005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;235/380,381,482
;382/112,115,309,118 ;358/405 ;902/4,3 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0513885 |
|
Nov 1992 |
|
EP |
|
0307181 |
|
Dec 1990 |
|
JP |
|
3-090994 |
|
Apr 1991 |
|
JP |
|
3-269787 |
|
Dec 1991 |
|
JP |
|
9217856 |
|
Oct 1992 |
|
WO |
|
Primary Examiner: Shepperd; John
Assistant Examiner: Le; Thien Minh
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lahive & Cockfield Lahive, Jr.;
John A. Laurentano; Anthony A.
Claims
We claim:
1. Apparatus for manufacturing a series of data cards,
comprising
production means for recording information onto one or more blank
cards, said production means having
a memory element for storing one or more data record signals each
being associated with a respective one of said data cards and each
having image information representative of one or more images,
recording means for recording image information from said data
records on to respective ones of said blank cards, and
inspection means, coupled to said production means, for visually
inspecting said data cards, and having
an image acquisition element for generating an image signal
representative of said image information recorded on each said data
card, and
image processing means for comparing said generated image signal
with said respective data record signal and for generating a
comparison signal representative of the accuracy of the recorded
image relative to said data record signal, wherein said production
means includes an output bin for storing said data cards, and said
inspection means includes
a collection element for retrieving said data cards from said
output bin and for disposing said data cards in a support
element.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said collection element
includes a robotic arm having an end effector adapted to couple
with a data card.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said end effector
includes a vacuum cup assembly for pneumatically coupling with said
data card.
4. Apparatus for manufacturing identification cards from collected
data, comprising
database memory element arranged for storing one or more data
record signals representative of information to be recorded onto a
blank card,
job builder means for generating a batch signal representative of
instructions to generate said identification cards from said stored
data record signals,
recording means for recording data record signals onto individual
ones of said blank cards responsive to said batch signal,
inspection means, coupled to said production means, for visually
inspecting said identification cards, and for generating a failed
to manufacture signal as a function of a comparison between said
recorded information and said data record signal, and
packaging means for disposing said identification cards into
carrier elements and for printing information onto each said
carrier element from said data record as a function of said failed
to manufacture signal wherein
said inspection means includes control means for generating signals
representative of the operating condition of said apparatus.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein
said control means includes a monitor element arranged for visually
displaying said control signals.
6. Apparatus for manufacturing identification cards from collected
data, comprising
database memory element arranged for storing one or more data
record signals representative of information to be recorded onto a
blank card,
job builder means for generating a batch signal representative of
instructions to generate said identification cards from said stored
data record signals,
recording means for recording data record signals onto individual
ones of said blank cards responsive to said batch signal,
inspection means, coupled to said production means, for visually
inspecting said identification cards, and for generating a failed
to manufacture signal as a function of a comparison between said
recorded information and said data record signal, and
packaging means for disposing said identification cards into
carrier elements and for printing information onto each said
carrier element from said data record as a function of said failed
to manufacture signal wherein
said inspection means includes a program element adapted to detect
the gray scale of text data recorded onto said identification
cards, and
a control means includes a monitoring element for monitoring the
gray scale of recorded text and for generating a signal
representative of the gray scale of text recorded on said
identification cards.
7. Apparatus for manufacturing identification cards from collected
data, comprising
database memory element arranged for storing one or more data
record signals representative of information to be recorded onto a
blank card,
job builder means for generating a batch signal representative of
instructions to generate said identification cards from said stored
data record signals,
recording means for recording data record signals onto individual
ones of said blank cards responsive to said batch signal,
inspection means, coupled to said production means, for visually
inspecting said identification cards, and for generating a failed
to manufacture signal as a function of a comparison between said
recorded information and said data record signals, and
packaging means for disposing said identification cards into
carrier elements and for printing information onto each said
carrier element from said data record as a function of said failed
to manufacture signal wherein
said inspection means includes a program element adapted to detect
the orientation of text recorded on an identification card relative
to an axis extending along a side of said card, and
a control means includes a monitoring element for monitoring the
orientation of text and for generating an orientation signal
representative of the orientation of text on said identification
cards.
8. Apparatus for manufacturing a series of data cards,
comprising
production means for recording information onto one or more blank
cards, said production means having
(i) a memory element for storing one or more data record signals
each having an identification signal and each having image
information representative of one or more images, wherein at least
one of said images is a photographic image, and
(ii) recording means for recording image information from said data
records onto respective ones of said blank cards, including a unit
for recording onto each said blank card a signal representative of
said identification signal and an output bin for storing said data
cards, and
inspection means for visually inspecting said data cards, and
having
(i) a collection element for retrieving said data cards from said
output bin and for disposing said data cards in a support
element,
(ii) an image acquisition element for generating an image signal
representative of said image information recorded on each said data
card,
(iii) a reader unit for reading said identification signal on each
said data card and for retrieving said data record signal as a
function of said identification signal, and
(iv) image processing means for comparing said generated image
signal with said respective data record signal and for generating a
comparison signal representative of the accuracy of the recorded
image relative to said data record signal.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said collection element
includes a robotic arm having an end effector adapted to couple
with a data card.
10. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said end effector
includes a vacuum cup assembly for pneumatically coupling with said
data card.
11. Apparatus for manufacturing identification cards from collected
data, comprising
database memory element arranged for storing one or more data
record signals representative of information to be recorded onto a
blank card and including an identification signal,
job builder means for generating a batch signal representative of
instructions to generate said identification cards from said stored
data record signals,
recording means for recording data record signals, including said
identification signal, onto individual ones of said blank cards
responsive to said batch signal,
inspection means, coupled to said production means, for visually
inspecting said identification cards, and for generating a failed
to manufacture signal as a function of a comparison between said
recorded information and said data record signal, and having
control means for generating control signals representative of an
operating condition of said apparatus, and
packaging means for disposing said identification cards into
carrier elements and for printing information onto each said
carrier element from said data record as a function of said failed
to manufacture signal.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein
said control means includes a monitor element arranged for visually
displaying said control signals.
13. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein
said inspection means includes a program element adapted to detect
the gray scale of text data recorded onto said identification
cards, and
said control means includes a monitoring element for monitoring the
gray scale of recorded text and for generating a signal
representative of the gray scale of text recorded on said
identification cards.
14. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein
said inspection means includes a program element adapted to detect
the orientation of text recorded on an identification card relative
to an axis extending along a side of said card, and
said control means includes a monitoring element for monitoring the
orientation of text and for generating an orientation signal
representative of the orientation of text on said identification
cards.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods
for recording data onto a document and more particularly, to
apparatus and methods for recording text, image and graphic data
onto a document and for automatically inspecting the recorded
data.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently, data recording systems exist that can record graphic,
text and image data onto identification documents, such as driver's
licenses, military identification cards, and school identification
cards. For example, systems exist that manufacture driver's
licenses which include a printed image of the driver, text data, a
bar code, a fingerprint image, and a magnetic stripe. These
improved identification cards can carry more information and are
more difficult to forge than conventional identification cards
which typically only include a photographic image, a standard
graphic image and a block of text data.
Although these improved identification cards have many advantages
over the conventional identification cards, the manufacture of
these improved identification cards has proven to be more complex
than the manufacture of traditional identification cards. In
particular, the implementation of an inspection and quality control
system for regulating the quality of each recorded data format is
more time consuming and expensive than the inspection of the
traditional identification card.
The systems presently employed for inspecting these improved
identification cards are relatively unsophisticated. Typically, the
inspection is manually performed with operators that inspect each
card, or select ones of the cards, to detect smudges, missing
pictures and other gross errors that are readily detectable by
manual inspection. These unsophisticated prior art systems are
relatively cumbersome, ineffective and expensive to operate.
Moreover, the manual inspection operation only detects printing or
recording errors, and fails to detect typographical errors and
other misprints. Therefore, a barcode that is printed without
smudges will pass inspection even if the recorded data is incorrect
or meaningless.
Additionally, the acuity of these manual inspection systems is
fairly poor, for example, these manual inspection systems are ill
equipped to detect subtle changes in the recording process, such as
a lightening of the recorded text, or a slight tilt of a printed
image. Therefore, these manual inspection systems are unable to
detect conditions that indicate future failures in the system, such
as running out of ink or loose printing heads. Similarly, manual
inspection is poorly suited for detecting errors, like blurring or
smudges, in complex images, such as two-dimensional barcodes or
finger print images.
Also troublesome is the inability to detect non-uniformity between
identification cards manufactured at different manufacturing
stations. Because the uniformity of the recorded data is effected
by the age and type of printer that records the image onto the
card, there can be a wide range of darkness levels for the images
recorded by different manufacturing stations. Although these
different darkness levels can be quite pronounced when cards are
compared side-by-side, subtle differences are difficult for a human
inspector to detect. This lack of uniformity makes it more
difficult to detect forgeries and, therefore, reduces the security
provided by the identification card.
A further problem with the present systems for inspecting
identification cards arises with the incorporation of security
features such as holographic overlays. These holographic overlays
are highly reflective of light and, therefore, can obscure the
text, image or graphic data beneath the overlay and make manual
inspection difficult.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an
improved unitary system for manufacturing and inspecting
identification cards having data recorded in different formats.
Another object of the invention is to provide systems and methods
for recording and inspecting data records each having different
data recorded thereon.
A further object is to provide a system for recording data that
reduces the labor costs associated with quality control and
inspection.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for
recording data that increases the uniformity of printed data
between identification cards.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide systems
and methods that can inspect the data recorded onto an
identification card having a holographic overlay.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide systems
and methods for manufacturing identification cards that detect
changes in the recording process and operation of the system.
These and other objects of the present invention will be made
apparent by the following description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides systems and methods for
manufacturing and inspecting identification cards, such as drivers'
licenses, school identification cards, welfare identification cards
and other cards that have descriptive information recorded thereon.
The systems and methods provide for the high speed manufacture of
identification cards that include information recorded onto the
card in multiple formats. Recorded information encompasses
information that has been applied to the card by printing,
lithography, photographic exposure, or any other technique that can
fix information on an document.
Most commonly, identification cards are provided to those members
of the general population that are formally registered with an
organization or agency that provides registered persons with access
to restricted areas, materials or privileges. Typically, an
identification card is a small plastic card that includes
information specific to the individual associated with the
identification card. However, an identification card, as the term
is used herein, can be any document that includes information
descriptive of a person or object, and can include paper documents,
such as passports and birth certificates, or any other medium
capable of carrying recorded information.
In one aspect, the present invention includes a production element
for recording data onto a blank card, an inspection system that
inspects the data which has been recorded onto the blank card to
identify those cards which have been defectively manufactured, and
a packaging unit that can place each of the manufactured
identification cards into a carrier element, such as an envelope,
and address the envelope for delivery to the individual associated
with the card. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
inspection system is a visual inspection system that includes an
image acquisition element, such as a camera, for generating an
image of the identification card and the information recorded
thereon and further includes an image processor that can compare
the acquired image of the identification card with the data record
file that was used to generate the card. Each identification card
contains information that is distinct from the other identification
cards. Therefore, one aspect of the present invention provides
systems and methods that coordinate an inspection element to
collect information about each identification card and to compare
the acquired information to the individual data record that was
used to generate that specific card. Consequently, the present
invention provides systems and methods that can be employed to
visually inspect a series of distinct identification cards.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the inspection system
includes a collection element that individually, and preferably in
sequence, removes each identification card from a collection bin
and sequentially disposes each identification card in a fixture
arranged to allow a camera element to generate image signals
representative of the identification card, and more particularly of
the information recorded onto the identification card. In a
preferred embodiment of the present invention the collection
element is a robotic arm collection element that includes a vacuum
end effector that can pneumatically couple to an identification
card stored in the collection bin.
In one embodiment, the recording unit includes a bar code recorder
that records an identification signal that uniquely identifies the
identification card being manufactured by the system. Similarly the
inspection element can include a bar code reader element that can
decode the identification signal printed on the identification
card. The inspection element can include a computer interface that
couples to a job builder unit that includes a database memory which
stores the data records of the identification cards being
generated. The inspection element can request from the job builder
unit the data record that corresponds to the identification signal
decoded by the inspection element. The job builder unit transmits
over a computer interface, such as a serial interface, parallel
interface, network interface or other such conventional computer
interface, the data record associated with the identification card
presently being inspected by the inspection element. The inspection
element compares the information acquired from the identification
card with the information stored in the data record and generates a
manufactured fail/manufactured successful signal that indicates
whether any manufacturing errors were detected during the
inspection. The collection element stores the inspected
identification card in a bin that is mechanically coupled to the
packaging element.
The packaging element collects each identification card stored in
the bin and passes the identification card through a decoder unit
that decodes an identification signal recorded onto the
identification card. In one embodiment of the invention the
identification card includes a magnetic stripe that is encoded with
the identification signal. The packaging element includes a
magnetic stripe reader that can decode the magnetically encoded
identification signal on the card and may also include a memory
element that temporarily stores the identification signal of the
card being packaged. The packaging element includes a computer
interface that interfaces to the inspection element. The packaging
element receives an identification signal from the inspection
element and compares the stored identification signal with the
received identification signal to determine if the two signals
match.
In one embodiment of the invention, the inspection system sends a
signal to the packaging unit that indicates whether the card
selected by the packaging unit successfully passed inspection. The
signal can be a false identification signal that generates an error
when compared with the decoded by the magnetic stripe unit. The
packaging unit may include a rejection bin and a mechanical linkage
assembly that carries any defective card from the magnetic stripe
reader and to a rejection bin. In this way the system removes those
cards that failed to manufacture correctly those cards that failed
to manufacture correctly.
The packaging element typically includes a mechanical linkage that
places each identification card into a separate carrier element,
such as an envelope. The packaging element receives the data record
from the inspection element and prints an address on each carrier
element that corresponds to an address stored in the data record.
The packaged identification cards may be placed in an output bin
for delivery to the mail.
In another aspect of the present invention, the present invention
provides systems and methods for inspecting identification cards
that have been manufactured with a holographic overlay. In one
embodiment of the invention, the inspection system includes a
camera element for acquiring images of the information recorded
onto the identification card. The inspection element includes a
lighting unit that can generate light of select intensity, and
polarity. The lighting unit illuminates the identification card
with polarized light having a polarization and an angle of
incidence selected to maximize the appearance of the hologram in an
image signal captured by the camera element of the inspection
elements. Alternatively, the lighting elements can include uniform
lighting sources that are pitched to illuminate the data card in a
manner that illuminates the information recorded behind the
holographic overlay so that the camera elements can "see through"
the holographic overlay and acquire an image of the information
recorded behind the holographic overlay.
In another aspect of the invention, the system includes a data
collection element for collecting and storing information to be
recorded onto the identification cards. The system includes a
network job builder that assembles collected information into data
records which are sent to the manufacturing system for generating
the identification card. The system typically includes data
acquisition elements, such as cameras, bar code readers, magnetic
stripe readers, and other such collection elements, for collecting
information to store in the data record from the collected
information the job builder assembles from the collected
information data records having fields organized for storing
information in the selected formats. These data records may be
conventional computer files having fields defined by the type of
information stored therein, such as an address field, an image
field, a birth date field, and other such information fields. The
job builder includes a processor element that assembles one or more
of the data records into a batch file and generates commands to the
manufacturing system to generate identification cards for one or
more of the data records stored in the batch file.
The invention will next be described in connection with certain
illustrated embodiments; however, it should be clear to those
skilled in the art that various modifications, additions and
subtractions can be made without departing from the spirit or scope
of the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates one system constructed according to the present
invention for manufacturing identification cards;
FIG. 2 illustrates a front perspective of an identification card of
the type printed by the system illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 illustrates a rear perspective of an identification card of
the type printed by the system illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 illustrates in more detail and from an overhead perspective,
the lighting control unit of the system depicted in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 illustrates in more detail and from a side perspective, the
lighting control unit of the system depicted in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 illustrates an identification card manufacturing system 10
constructed according to the present invention. The illustrated
system 10 includes a vision inspection cell 12, a recording unit
14, a packaging unit 16, a network job builder unit 18, a central
image server 20, optional data acquisition units 22A and 22B, and
an optional database memory 24.
In one aspect of the invention, the system 10 provides an
identification card manufacturing system that manufactures,
inspects, and packages identification cards such as drivers'
licenses, credit cards, military identification cards and other
such cards having recorded information thereon. In one embodiment,
the system 10 manufactures identification cards that include image,
text, and graphic data recorded thereon and that further include
magnetic stripes having information magnetically encoded thereon.
These systems can manufacture such identification cards at rates of
120 cards per hour. The illustrated system 10 is suited for
attachment to a computer network system, such as a local area
network or a wide area network or other such processing network,
and can be one component in a larger system that can be employed to
maintain a registry of individuals that have been authorized access
to a restricted area, privilege or action. For example the system
10 illustrated in FIG. 1 can be one component in a system employed
by the Registry of Motor Vehicles for maintaining a database of all
individuals in one state that have been granted authority to
operate a motor vehicle on the state's highways, and that grants a
driver's license to each authorized individual.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, and as will be explained in greater
detail hereinafter, the system 10 can include four primary
components. The first component can be a job builder unit that
includes the network job builder unit 18, the central image server
20, that database memory 24 and one or more data acquisition units
22A and 22B. The job builder can be a part of a registry system
that collects and integrates all the necessary information for
identifying and registering each individual into the system. For
example, the data acquisition units 22A and 22B, can collect
identifying information about the individual, such as a photograph
of the individual, a fingerprint of the individual, an image of the
individual's signature, and other such identifying data. Similarly
the database memory 24 can connect to an optional keyboard and
monitor that can be operated by personnel at the Registry of Motor
Vehicles or the Department of Welfare and Human Resources, and can
store various demographic data regarding each person being
registered into the system. The information stored in database 24
can include the individual's address, age, their various
restrictions, privileges, or entitlements relevant to the
individual's status in the system and other such data. In one
practice of the invention, at the end of each day the network job
builder assembles all the information about each of the
individual's being registered into the system and can generate a
manufacturing batch file that requests the system to generate an
identification card for each new applicant. The manufacturing batch
file typically consists of a series of individual data records each
containing information relevant to one individual applicant and
each having an identification signal, such as a social security
number, that distinguishes one record from the next.
The second primary component of the system 10 includes a recording
unit that can respond to the manufacturing batch files generated by
the network job builder and print the relevant information,
including the identification signal, onto a data card 90 such as a
small plastic identification card, thereby manufacturing an
identification for each applicant registered into the system that
day. The recording unit 14 can pass the printed data cards to the
vision inspection cell 12 and that is the third primary component
of the system 10. The vision inspection cell 12 can inspect each
data card 90 manufactured by the recording unit 14 to identify
printing errors, poor quality or other such defects. The vision
inspection cell 12 includes a unit for reading the identification
signal of the data card 90 being inspected, and accessing the data
record used to make that card. Vision inspection cell 12 causes the
defective cards to be rejected by the system 10 and, in a preferred
embodiment be re-manufactured by the recording unit 14. The fourth
primary component is the packaging unit 16 that receives inspected
cards from the vision inspection cell 12 and places each card into
an addressed envelope, applies the proper postage, and places the
manufactured identification card in an output bin ready to be
mailed to the newly authorized applicants. Therefore as can be seen
from the above description, and as will be explained in greater
detail hereinafter, the system 10 provides an integrated system for
manufacturing data cards that includes collecting the necessary
data, recording the data onto a suitable identification card,
inspecting the recorded data and packaging the completed
identification cards for delivery to the authorized
individuals.
The illustrated system 10 depicts a manufacturing system
constructed for manufacturing identification cards such as driver's
licenses, credit cards, military identification cards, welfare
cards, social security cards, and other such cards having
information recorded thereon suitable for identifying persons or
objects. The data for recording onto the identification card is
collected by the data acquisition units 22A and 22B, collected from
in a database 24, or collected from both the acquisition units 22A
and 22B and a database 24. As will be explained in greater detail
hereinafter, the network job builder 18 receives document
manufacture requests from the central image server 20 and status
reports from the vision inspection cell 12. The central image
server 20 generates the document manufacture requests from the
image files transmitted from the acquisition units 22A and 22B, and
stored in a data memory within the central image server 20. The
central image server 20 collects and processes information records
from the database 24 and integrates these information records with
image files stored in the central image server data memory. These
integrated files may be data records having image, text, graphic
and other types of data. Each data record is normally associated
with one document, being manufactured by the system 10 and may be
part of the document manufacture request transmitted to the network
job builder 18. The data record can be a conventional data record
file of the type commonly used to store and organize data into
fields and strings.
As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the network job builder unit 18
is connected via transmission paths to the vision inspection cell
12, the recording unit 14, and the central image server 20. The
central image server 20 connects via transmission paths to the data
acquisition units 22A and 22B. In the illustrated embodiment, the
two data acquisition units 22A and 22B connect to the central image
server 20, however it should be apparent to one of ordinary skill
of the art of data processing that the present invention can be
practiced with any number of image acquisition units 22 and,
alternatively, without any image acquisition units 22.
The network job builder 18, central image server 20, data
acquisition unit 22 and database memory 24 connect as peripheral
units using conventional peripheral interfaces to the vision
inspection cell 12 and the recording unit 14. These peripheral
units operate to acquire information and to assemble the acquired
information into a data batch file suitable for transmission via
the transmission path to the recording unit 14 and the vision
inspection cell 12. In one embodiment of the present invention, the
data acquisition units 22A and 22B can be data capture pylon units
of the type described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 08/262,552. The data capture pylon acquisition units 22A and
22B acquire information, such as an image of an applicant for a
driver's license, an image of the applicant's signature, an image
of the applicant's fingerprint, an image of a barcode encoding
demographic data regarding the applicant, or other such identifying
information as relates to the applicant for driver's license. It
may also provide identification information for a magnetic stripe.
The data capture pylon acquisition unit 22 connects via a
telecommunication transmission path, such as a telecommunication
link including a modem to the central image server 20 for
downloading the acquired image information to the central image
server 20. The central image server 20 may also include a modem
unit of the type commonly used for acquiring information from
multiple sources over telecommunication lines. The central image
server 20 further includes a processing unit and the data memory
for storing the acquired image data as an image file in the data
memory of the central image server 20. Therefore, the central image
20 can store as a data file in its memory the information acquired
for each individual applicant for a driver's license.
In an optional embodiment of the system 10, the central image
server 20 connects via a transmission path, such as a
telecommunications link, to a database memory 24. In one embodiment
the central image server 20 is a conventional data processing
system such as the ALPHA computer system manufactured by the
Digital Equipment Corporation of Maynard, Mass. and can have a
memory element that can store up to five million records. The
database memory 24 may be a random access memory, a hard disk drive
memory, a floppy disk drive memory, a tape drive memory, a optical
disk drive memory, or any other type of memory commonly used for
the mass storage of data. In one application of the system depicted
in FIG. 1, the database memory 24 stores demographic data for the
individual applicants for a driver's license. This information,
such as address information, restriction information, and other
such data is entered into the database memory unit 24 via keyboard
data entry, for example, by an operator at a Registry of Motor
Vehicle site. The database memory unit 24 connects via the
transmission path to the central image server 20. The central image
server 20 downloads data records regarding the demographic data of
an applicant for driver's license, and the processing unit of the
central image server 20 can open the associated image data file
stored in the memory element of the central image server 20 and
generate and store a data record file, for each applicant for
driver's license, that includes image and text data regarding the
applicant for driver's license.
As further illustrated by FIG. 1, the central image server 20 also
connects via a transmission path, such as a telecommunication link,
to the network job builder unit 18. The network job builder unit 18
includes a processing unit and a memory element. The network job
builder unit 18 may be a conventional computer system such as an
IBM PC system and preferably is a high speed high performance
system such as an IBM PC based on the Pentium chip running at clock
rates of 90 megahertz or greater. The processing unit of the
network job builder unit 18 downloads information from the central
image server 20 via the transmission path, for generating
manufacturing batch files. In one embodiment of the invention the
manufacturing batch file stores between 50 and 300 data records for
manufactured by the system 10. Each manufacturing batch file
includes one or more data records and can represent a request by
the network job builder 18 for the recording unit 14, visual
inspection cell 12 and packaging unit 16 to record, inspect and
package a respective data card containing the image and demographic
data of each data record in the manufacturing batch file. In the
illustrated embodiment the network job builder 18 connects via a
transmission path to the recording unit 14 and the vision
inspection cell 12. In one embodiment the transmission path may be
RS232 serial communication port such as a type commonly used in
small computer communications. It should be apparent to one of
ordinary skill in the art of computer engineering that other
transmission paths, such as parallel paths, SCSI (Small Computer
Serial Interface) communication paths, radio frequency links, and
other paths suitable for communicating data signals, may be
employed in the present invention without departing from the scope
thereof.
The vision inspection cell 12 connects via an RS232 port to the
network job builder 18. The vision inspection cell 12 includes a
central processing unit 26, a collection unit 28, a support fixture
30, a camera element 32, a cell lighting unit 34, a barcode reader
36, and an image buffer memory 38. The recording unit 14 includes a
central processing unit 50, a data memory 52, a card source 54, a
recorder unit 56, a barcode decoding unit 58 and an input hopper
60. The packaging unit 16 includes an output hopper 62, a central
processing unit 64, a magnetic stripe encoder/decoder unit 66, a
printer 68 and a packaging assembly unit 70. In an alternative
embodiment of the invention, the packaging assembly unit 70 can
further include an envelope sealer and a postage metering
device.
As depicted in FIG. 1, the network job builder unit 18 connects via
a transmission path to the central processing unit 50 of the
printing unit 14. In a preferred embodiment of the present
invention the transmission path is an RS232 serial communication
port, and the network job builder unit 18 and the central
processing unit 50 contain RS232 serial interface units. Such
interface units are of the type commonly used in small computer
communications and any of the conventional RS232 communication
units can be practiced with the present invention. Furthermore, it
should be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art of computer
engineering that alternative communication paths can be practiced
with the present invention, including parallel interface such as
the IEEE 488 interface, SCSI interface, ISI (Intelligent Standard
Interface) interface, telecommunication link, and any other data
communication link suitable for transmitting data between one or
more data processing devices.
As previously described, the network job builder 18 can include a
processing unit 18A, a program memory 18B and a data memory 18C of
the type commonly used by data processing devices. The processing
unit 18A connects to the data memory 18C and the program memory
18B, and operates according to a set of program instructions stored
in the memory 18B to generate a manufacturing batch file that
includes a command field and data field. The command field includes
signals that actuate the recording unit 14 to record on documents,
such as the blank cards 40 located in the card source 54, the one
or more data records stored in the data field.
The recording unit 14 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a document
manufacture machine of the type suitable for printing in black and
white, or in color. The illustrated recording unit 14 records data
on one or both sides of the document, such as a 2.times.31/2 in.
plastic card, and can record image data, text data and graphic
data. In the depicted embodiment the CPU 50 reads the manufacturing
batch files generated by the network job builder 18 and generates
command signals for the recording unit 56, to record text graphic
and image data onto a blank card 40. The recorder 56 includes a
mechanical linkage for collecting a blank card 40 from a card
source 54 and for moving the card 40 through the recorder 56. The
mechanical linkage assembly (not shown) can include sets of rollers
having textured exterior surfaces suitable for frictionally
engaging a plastic card. The rollers contact the cards 40 in card
source 54 and extract the cards 40 one at a time. The mechanical
linkage assembly moves each card 40 through the linkage assembly
with pairs of rollers radially spaced from each other and connected
to motor assemblies that rotate the rollers in opposing directions.
The rotating rollers feeds the cards 40 one at a time through the
recording unit 14.
As cards 40 move through the recording unit 14, the recorder 56
records text, graphic, image data or combinations thereof onto the
card 40. The data recorded onto each card 40 corresponds to a data
record stored in the data memory 52. Preferably, the data record
includes an identification signal that distinguishes one record
from the next. The data record stored in the data memory 52 is
typically part of the manufacturing batch file transmitted from the
network job builder 18. The CPU 50 controls the recorder unit 56 to
select one blank card 40 for each data record stored in the data
memory 52. The CPU 50 can control the recorder 56 to record the
text, graphic and image data of one data record onto one card 40
moving through the recorder unit 56. The recorder 56 can,
therefore, receive one blank card 40 and one data record to
generate a data card 90 having data from that data record recorded
thereon.
The illustrated recorder 56 includes the barcode unit 58. The
barcode unit 58 has a mechanical linkage assembly for collecting
each data card 90 having recorded data and includes a barcode
printer for recording onto each data card 90 a barcode
identification graphic that corresponds to the identification
signal field in the associated data record. In one embodiment of
the present invention the barcode unit 58 records onto the selected
data card 90 a barcode graphic representative of the driver's
license number. The recorded driver's license number is one
identification signal that can uniquely identify each data card 90
being manufactured by the recording unit 14 and the system 10. In
other embodiments and practices of the present invention, the
barcode unit 58 has a mechanical linkage that connects to the input
hopper 60 and that stores completed data cards 90 in the input
hopper 60. The recording unit 14 can be a data card manufacturing
unit of the type conventionally used for producing plastic
identification cards. One such type is the data card 9000 plastic
manufacture machine, sold by the Data Card Corporation in
Minnetonka, Minn.
Optionally and preferably, the data card recording unit 14 includes
an overlay unit for applying to the data card 90 an overlay on at
least one side of the card. The overlay can contain a holographic
security feature. The holographic security feature typically is a
holographic image that selectively reflects certain wavelengths of
radiation. Such holographic security features are well known in the
art of data card manufacturing and it should be apparent to one of
ordinary skill in the art that any holographic image suitable for
reflecting select wavelengths of radiation, and thereby reducing
the likelihood that the data card can be optically photocopied with
achromatic light, can be practiced with the present invention. In
another optional but preferred embodiment of the present invention,
the recording unit 14 includes a magnetic stripe or recording unit
for recording onto a magnetic stripe fixed to the data card, an
identification signal. In one embodiment of the present invention
the magnetically recorded identification signal is the driver's
license identification number. Other such signals which uniquely
identify the data card, can be practiced with the present invention
without departing from the scope thereof.
In the illustrated embodiment, a collection unit 28 in the vision
inspection cell 12 collects data cards 90 from the input hopper 60.
The collection unit 28 in the illustrated embodiment is a robotic
arm having a robotic end effector with a vacuum cup grip 29 adapted
for removing the data card 90 from the input hopper 60. The robotic
arm collection unit 28 collects a data card 90 from the input
hopper 60 and moves the data card 90 in front of the barcode reader
36. The illustrated barcode reader 36 has a laser scanning unit for
reading a barcode recorded on one side of the data card 90. The
barcode reader 36 includes a processing unit for decoding a barcode
graphic recorded onto the data card 90. The decoded barcode signal
representing the decoded information is transmitted to the CPU 26
and stored in a data memory of the CPU 26. The CPU 26 can use the
barcode information to identify the data record in the
manufacturing batch file, which is associated with the data card 90
held by the robot arm collection unit 28. In one embodiment, the
CPU 26 transmits via the serial interface, a data record request to
the network job builder 18 for the data record associated with the
decoded identification signal. The processing unit 18A of the
network job builder 18 decodes the data record request and
retrieves the corresponding data record from a manufacturing batch
file stored in the data memory 18B, and transmits the data record
to the CPU 26 via the RS-232C interface.
As will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, the vision
inspection cell 12 compares the information in the data record
against the information recorded on the associated data card
90.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the vision inspection
system cell 12 includes a sensor 72 connected to the collection
unit 28. The sensor 72 has a first condition for indicating when
the collection unit 28 is in a first position and a second
condition for indicating when the collection unit 28 has moved into
a second position. The sensor 72 couples, via a transmission path,
to the CPU 38. The CPU 38 connected, via a transmission path to the
barcode reader 36, activates the barcode reader 36 upon detecting
the activation of the second condition of the sensor 72. In this
way the barcode graphic reader 36 can scan the barcode recorded
onto the data card as the robot arm collection unit 28 moves the
data card from the input hopper 60 to the support fixture 30. The
sensor element 72 can be a limit switch, photo-diode and
photo-transistor pair, or other sensor capable of detecting the
position of the collection unit 28.
The depicted robot arm collection unit 28 is a TT8010 robotic arm
manufactured by the Seiko Instruments Corporation. The robotic arm
is equipped with a vacuum cup end effector adapted for gripping
data cards 90. The vacuum end effector can include a rubber cup
having a 1.375 inch diameter and made from neoprene and a vacuum
port extending into the cup for producing a vacuum that holds a
data card 90 against a cup 29. In a preferred embodiment of the
invention, the input hopper 60 includes a stacking unit that has an
axial tension rod for holding the data card 90 securely in place as
the robot arm collection unit 28 pushes the cup 29 against the
stack of data cards 90. The vacuum can be generated by a vacuum
pump such as the Fast Vac TT No. VP61-GOH and can create a vacuum
sufficient to hold the card 90. The illustrated cup 29 includes a
vacuum feedback sensor to detect the presence of a data card 90 at
the end effector. The detection of a vacuum at the end effector
indicates that a data card 90 is gripped against the end effector.
The failure to detect a vacuum indicates that a data card 90 is not
present against the cup 29. The vacuum assembly couples via a
transmission path to the CPU 26. The CPU 26 monitors the vacuum
sensor and the sensor element 72 to determine from the position of
the collection element 28 and the presence of a data card 90 at the
cup 29, whether the collection unit 28 is properly moving the data
card 90 through the system 10. The illustrated inspection cell
including the robot arm collection element 28 can inspect the data
cards 90 at a rate of 5 cards per minute, can detect data
misplacement within 0.03125 inches and can detect smudges, breaks,
voids or mispositioning of any text that results in a 0.01564
square inch deviation.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the
recording unit 14 passes data cards 90 directly through the vision
inspection cell 12 for real-time inspection of the data card 90. In
one example of this alternative embodiment the data cards 90 are
carried by a conveyor belt and disposed at an imaging station
fixture 30 optically coupled to one or more camera stations. The
imaging station fixture 30 can be a flat surface where the conveyor
belt momentarily pauses to allow the camera element to image the
data recorded onto the data card 90. The decoding unit 58 decodes
the identification signal as the data card 90 moves along the
conveyor belt. The vision inspection cell 12 images each data card
90 as it passes through the vision inspection cell 12, compares the
images to the respective data record and passes the data card 90 to
the packaging unit 16. These and other embodiments can be practiced
with the present invention without departing from the scope
thereof.
With reference again to FIG. 1, the illustrated support fixture 30
has a sensor 74 that connects to the support fixture 30 for being
able to detect when a data card 90 has been inserted therein. The
sensor 74 connects via a transmission path to the CPU 26. The CPU
26 can detect the presence of a data card 90 within the support
fixture 30 and activate the camera element 32 to begin the
inspection process.
In one embodiment of the present invention the camera unit 32
consists of four camera units. Two camera units are arranged with
the support fixture 30 for taking images of the front side of the
data card 90. The two other cameras are arranged with the support
fixture 30 for taking images of the rear portion of the data card
90. Each set of paired cameras is arranged for taking an image of
the left or right portion of one side of the data card 90. As
depicted in FIG. 1, the camera unit 32 connects via a transmission
path through CPU 26. The CPU 26 can actuate the camera unit 34 by
transmitting a control signal via the transmission path to the
camera unit 32. In one embodiment of the present invention, the CPU
26 acquires images of the data card 90 in the fixture 30 by
acquiring four images of the card, a front left image, a front
right image, a back left image, and a back right image. The image
data generated by the camera unit 32 is transmitted via the
transmission path to the CPU 26. The program sequence operating the
CPU 26 generates, for each image acquired from the data card 90, a
data file. The data file stores an image signal representative of
the image captured by each camera in the camera unit 32. Each data
file is stored in the data memory of CPU 26. The CPU 26, further
includes an image memory buffer 38. The program sequence operating
the CPU 26, stores in the image memory buffer 38, a copy of the
image signal transmitted from the network job builder unit 18 for
the respective card being manufactured. The CPU 26, generates a
comparison signal by comparing the image data acquired from the
data card 90 in the fixture 30 with the image data used to
manufacture the data card 90 in the recording unit 14 to
manufacture the data card 90. The comparison signal is transmitted
via the transmission path to the network job builder 18 and stored
in a status file that can be transmitted to the control image
server 20 as a status report.
As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the comparison
signal includes a status signal that represents the status of the
document. The status signal indicates whether the document being
inspected has passed or failed the inspection. In one embodiment of
the present invention, if a document fails inspection three times,
the system 10 declares the document is failed to manufacture and
this failure status is sent via the network job builder 18 to the
central image server 20. Alternatively, the vision inspection cell
12 can generate a comparison signal having a status signal that
indicates that the document is within tolerance. The vision
inspection cell 12 can send a document successfully manufactured
status signal back to the network job builder 18 and to the control
image server 20. Further the vision inspection cell 12 can transmit
the magnetic stripe and addressing record for the respective
document such as a data card 90, to the packaging unit 16. If the
document such as the data card 90, is not within tolerance and the
vision inspection cell 12 generates a status signal indicating a
failed to manufacture document, the vision inspection cell 12
transmits an invalid magnetic stripe and addressing record to the
packaging unit 16. The invalid magnetic stripe and addressing
record causes the document to fail the magnetic stripe verification
pass within the packaging unit 16 and the document is rejected and
placed within a reject bin 76.
The illustrated packaging unit 16 is mechanically connected to the
vision inspection cell 12 by the output hopper 62 and is
electronically coupled to the vision inspection cell 12 by the
transmission path that connects CPU 64 with the CPU 26. The
packaging unit includes a unit 66, such as the illustrated magnetic
stripe reader unit 66, that can decode an identification signal,
such as a social security number, recorded onto the data card 90.
The illustrated packaging unit 16 receives a data card 90 through
the output hopper 62 and receives data record files via the
transmission path coupling CPU 64 to CPU 26. The CPU 64 detects the
presence of documents in the output hopper 62 by a sensor mechanism
located within the output hopper 62. The CPU 64 can activate a
mechanical linkage assembly of the type previously described to
remove a data card 90 from the output hopper 62 and to insert the
card 90 into a magnetic stripe unit 66. CPU 64 further collects
from the CPU 26 the data record paired with the document in the
magnetic stripe unit 66. In the illustrated embodiment, the CPU 26
reads the data record from the CPU 50 via the serial interface
transmission path and store the data record in the data memory
within the CPU 64. Alternative data transfer systems for collecting
the data record associated with the identification signal read by
the packaging unit 16 can be practiced with the present invention
without departing from the scope thereof. The illustrated magnetic
stripe unit 66 reads the magnetic stripe on the back of the data
card and transmits the magnetic stripe information to the CPU 64.
The CPU 64 compares the data encoded on the magnetic stripe with
the data in the data record file to verify that the magnetic stripe
has been encoded correctly and to verify that the data card in the
magnetic stripe unit 66 corresponds to the data file stored in the
data memory of CPU 64. If the CPU 64 detects that the magnetic
stripe has been correctly encoded with the information from the
data record and the data memory, a mechanical linkage removes the
card from the magnetic stripe unit 66 to the package assembling
unit 70.
The CPU 64 transmits via a transmission path, data from the
document file associated with the respective card to the printer
unit 68. The printer unit 68 addresses a document carrier with the
information from the data file. In one embodiment of the invention
CPU 64 transmits one field of information to the printer unit 68,
typically this field of information is the address record for the
data card being manufactured. The printer unit 68 records the
address data onto a document carrier. The document carrier is
transferred via mechanical assembly to the package assembly 70 that
places the data card 90 into the document carrier. A mechanical
assembly collects the document carrier and places the document
carrier with the enclosed data card 90 into the carrier bin 78.
Alternatively, the packaging unit 16 rejects data card 90 having
information misrecorded thereon. In a first practice, the CPU 64
compares the magnetic stripe data read by magnetic stripe unit 66
with data from the data file in the CPU 64 memory. CPU 64 detects
errors in the recorded magnetic stripe data and transfers the data
card 90 and the magnetic stripe unit 66 via a mechanical assembly
to the reject bin 76.
In a preferred practice of the invention, CPU 64 rejects data card
90 to remove from the system 10 those data cards that fail visual
inspection within the vision inspection cell 12. In one embodiment
of the present invention, the CPU 26 and vision inspection cell 12
detects an error during the visual inspection of a data card 90.
The collection unit 28 places the data card 90 into the output
hopper 62 and the CPU 26 alters the data field for the respective
data card to include a blank signal in the data field. The CPU 26
transfers the data field with the blank signal to the CPU 64 when
the corresponding data card 90 is selected from the output hopper
62 and then placed in the magnetic stripe unit 66. The CPU 64
compares the information encoded on the magnetic stripe with the
blank signal detects the mismatch and activates the mechanical
assembly to remove the data card from the magnetic stripe unit 66
and place the data card into the reject bin 76. In this way, data
cards 90 that fail inspection are sorted out of the successfully
manufactured cards by the packaging unit 16.
FIG. 2 depicts one example of a data card 90 that can be
manufactured by the illustrated system 10. Data card 90 represents
an employee identification card, a driver's license or other such
identification card that includes an image 92 of the applicant, a
image 94 of the applicant's signature, a barcode 96, a driver's
license identification number 98, demographic data 100, and
graphics 102. FIG. 3 illustrates a backside of the data card 90
that includes the magnetic stripe 104 and the demographic data 106.
The illustrated identification card is a plastic identification
card approximately 31/2.times.2 inches and approximately 1/32 inch
thick. The data card 90 includes a protective overlay of plastic
protecting the surfaces and the magnetic stripe of the data card
90. The plastic overlay optionally includes a holographic image
printed thereon, to prevent simple photocopy reproductions of the
data card 90.
The recording unit 14 of system 10 can be a printing unit for
printing on a blank data card the image 92, barcode 96 and
demographic data 100. The recording unit 14 can have a printing
unit for printing in black and white or in color. It would be
apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that other systems for
recording information onto a data card can be practiced with the
present invention without departing from the scope thereof. These
systems includes lithographic systems, and photo exposure systems,
as well as other systems suitable for fixing graphic, text and
image data onto a tangible medium.
In a preferred practice of the invention, each data card 90
manufactured by system 10 can have uniform characteristics to
increase the difficulty of forgeries. In one example, the system 10
can print each data card 90 with an image 92 that has a uniform
lighting characteristic. Additionally, each data card 90 can have
graphic data 102 having a uniform orientation on each card 90. For
example, the graphic banner 102 illustrated in FIG. 2 can extend
horizontally across the data card 90 the vision inspection cell 12
can detect the orientation of graphic banner 102 relative to the
horizontal edge of data card 90. The vision inspection cell 12 can
generate a signal representative of relative orientation between
graphic banner 102 and a card edge. The CPU 26 can compare the
orientation signal to a user selected orientation value stored in
the CPU 26 data memory. The user selected orientation signal stored
in data memory of CPU 26 can represent a range of acceptable
orientation deviations. This range is a tolerance for each data
card 90 generated by the system 10. Any data card 90 having a
graphic 102 that deviates out of tolerance can be rejected by the
CPU 26 by transmitting a blank signal when the packaging unit 16
collects the data card 90 from the output hopper 62. The vision
inspection cell 12 can inspect and measure other characteristics of
the data card 90.
The illustrated vision inspection cell 12 includes the lighting
unit 34 that includes light sources, that will be explained in
greater detail hereinafter, for generating an uniform exposure
lighting during the acquisition of image data. Consequently, the
vision inspection cell 12 acquires images of each data card
preferably under consistent and uniform lighting conditions. The
image acquisition element 32 acquires image data from the data card
90. As will be explained in greater detain hereinafter, the image
acquisition unit in one embodiment includes plural camera elements
that generate image data representative of select portions of the
data card 90 in the support fixture 30.
In one practice, the separate images are combined together by the
CPU 26 to create one image signal representative of the data
recorded onto a front side of the card, and one image signal
representative of data recorded onto the back side of the card 90.
In a preferred embodiment of the vision inspection cell 12, the
acquisition unit 32 includes a focusing element to collect images
with the same DPI (Dots Per Inch) characteristic as the image
signal stored in the data record of the associated data card 90.
Typically, the focusing element includes a lens 32A and support
fixture that holds the acquisition unit 32 at a select distance
from the data card 90. By capturing image signals that have a DPI
characteristic similar to the DPI characteristic of the image
signals stored in the data record, the vision inspection cell 12
facilitates the efficient inspection of data card 90. In a
preferred practice of the invention, the lens element 32A is
adaptable to readily adjust the captured image signal to a selected
DPI characteristic. This facilitates the use of the vision
inspection cell 12 with other recording units 14 that can record
data onto a data card 90 with different or varying DPI
characteristics.
The image signals captured by the acquisition element 32 are
transferred to the CPU 26. In a preferred embodiment of the
invention the CPU 26 operates on the acquired image signals to
adjust the aspect ratio characteristic of the signal. Typically the
CPU 26 adjusts the aspect ratio characteristic of the captured
image signal to correspond to the aspect ratio of the image signals
stored in the data record associated with the data card 90 being
inspected. As is generally known in the art of vision inspection
systems, the CPU 26 can be configured as an image processing system
that has a image processing programming element that can compare
image signals generated by the acquisition element 32 with image
signals stored in the data record of the corresponding data card
90. The programming element can operate the CPU 26 according to
known techniques in the art of vision inspection.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the programming element
operates the CPU 26 to compare the pixel density of the filtered
image signal generated by the acquisition element 32 with the pixel
density of the image signals stored in the data record. In a
preferred practice of the invention the pixel density is compared
for select image regions of the image signal. As is generally known
in the art of vision inspection, an image region can include one
line of pixel data, thereby comparing pixel density on a per line
basis. Alternatively, the image processing program element can
operate CPU 26 to compare image regions that represent windows of
an image, typically being a square or rectangular portion of the
image, and to compare the selected window regions between the
acquired image signal and the stored image signal. The image
processing element can operate the CPU 26 to compare each image
region of the acquired image against the corresponding region in
the stored image and to generate a comparison signal that indicates
whether or not the acquired image signal is substantially
representative of the stored image signal. In an optional but
preferred embodiment of the invention, the acquisition element 32
and the image processing element of CPU 26, includes color
processing apparatus for acquiring color images of the data card 90
and for processing the acquired color images to compare color
characteristics between the acquired image signal and the stored
image signal. These vision inspection techniques are considered
within the scope of one of ordinary skill in the art and
modifications, additions and subtractions to these techniques do
not depart from the scope of the invention.
A uniform characteristic, as the term is used herein, describes a
characteristic of the recorded data, such as pixel density, size,
code etc., that is recorded onto the data card 90 within a selected
manufacturing tolerance. For example, the orientation of a line of
text can be considered uniform if the measured orientation is
within 1/2.degree. of a preferred orientation, such as 90.degree..
Some other characteristics will be explained in greater detail
hereinafter, however it should be apparent to one of ordinary skill
in the art that these characteristics are merely illustrative and
that other characteristics of the data card 90 can be inspected by
vision inspection cell 12, without departing from the scope of the
invention.
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate one embodiment of a cell lighting unit 34
constructed for use with the present invention. The illustrated
cell lighting unit 34 includes a cabinet 120, uniform lighting
sources 122A and 122B, camera elements 124A-124D, point source
lighting units 126A-126D, light sensor 128, lighting control
circuit 130, camera control circuit 132, lighting source of
electrical harness 134 and camera control circuit harness 136.
Alternatively, the cell lighting unit 34 can be an open loop system
that has a user selected threshold for the lighting sources 122A
and 122B and 126A-126D and can be manufactured without the light
sensor 128 for open loop operation.
FIG. 4 illustrates an overhead perspective of the cell lighting
unit 34. As depicted in FIG. 4, data card 90 can be placed by the
collection unit 28 into the fixture 30. A card sensor 74 can detect
the presence of a data card 90 and generate a signal to the CPU 26
indicating the presence of the data card 90 in a position suitable
for image acquisition. Light sensors 128 connect to the support
fixture 30 and detect the presence and intensity of light radiated
against the card 90. The light sensors 128 connect via the
electrical harness 134 to the lighting control circuit 130.
Similarly, the light sources 122A and 122B and light sources
126A-126D connect via the lighting harness 134 to the lighting
control circuit 130. The lighting sources 122A and 122B depicted
embodiment are uniform light sources directed at the data card 90
in fixture 30. In the illustrated embodiment a uniform source 122A
illuminates the front side of the data card 90 and the uniform
light source 122B illuminates the rear side of the data card
90.
As further illustrated by FIG. 4, a point sources 126A-126D are
directed to a specific portion of the either the front side or the
backside of the data card 90. In the illustrated embodiment the
point source 126A is directed to the front left portion of the data
card 90 and the point source 126B is directed to the front right
portion of the data card 90. Similarly the point sources 126C and
126D are directed to the rear right portion of the data card 90 and
the rear left portion of the data card 90 respectively. In a
similar fashion, four camera elements 124A-124D are directed to a
selected portion of the data card 90. In the illustrated embodiment
the camera elements 124A and 124B are directed to the front left
portion and the front right portion of the data card 90
respectively. Alternatively, the camera elements 124C and 124D are
directed to the rear right portion and rear left portion of the
data card 90 respectively. The camera elements 124A-124D connect
via the camera control harness 136 to the camera control circuit
132. Both the camera control circuit 132 and the lighting control
circuit 130 connect via transmission paths to the CPU 26 of
division cell 12.
FIG. 5 illustrates the cell lighting unit 34 from a side
perspective that illustrates the selected orientation of the light
sources 122A, 122B and 126A-126D relative to the data card 90. In
the illustrated embodiment, the uniform light sources 122A and 122B
are angled relative to a horizontal plane extending relative to the
axis 142. The illustrated uniform light sources 122A and 122B are
pitched to illuminate the data card 90 in a manner that illuminates
the material behind the holographic overlay attached to the surface
of the data card 90. The ability to "see through" the holographic
overlay can be essential to being able to do a complete job of
inspecting the recorded material on the data card 90. Similarly the
ability to image the hologram imprinted on a holographic overlay
allows a more complete inspection of the data card 90 to ensure
that the holographic overlay has been applied to the data card 90.
The transparency of the holograph imprinted in the holographic
overlay is understood to be dependent on the polarization angle of
illuminating light sources. The light sources 122 and 126 are
selected to control the polarization angle of the incident light
the data card 90. The uniform light sources 122A and 122B are
pitched at angles of 10.degree. and at intensities that are
selectable by the lighting control circuit 130 dependent upon the
ambient light surrounding the identification card 90 being
inspected. The illumination sources 122A and 122B having these
characteristics, illuminate the data card 90 sufficiently for the
camera elements 124A-124D to acquire images of the printed material
behind the holograms and the holographic overlay. In a preferred
embodiment of the invention, the illumination sources 122A and 122B
are angled at 15.degree. and are spaced a distance of 3 inches from
the support fixture 30 in order to minimize glare, optimize
contrast and to remove as much as possible the image of the
hologram on the image signal acquired by the camera elements
124A-124D.
Inspection of the hologram fixed to the data card 90 can be
facilitated by the sources 126A-126D. Sources 126A-126D can
illuminate data card 90 with polarized light having a polarization
and an angle of incidence selected to maximize the appearance of
the hologram in the image signal captured by the camera elements
124A-124D. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the cell
lighting unit 34 includes a cabinet 120 that surrounds the lighting
sources 122 and 126, the camera elements 124 and the data card 90
in the support fixture 30 in order to reduce the ambient light
incident on the data card 90. In an optional yet preferred
embodiment of the invention, the support fixture 30 includes the
light sensor element 128 for detecting the illumination incident on
the data card 90 and for generating an illumination signal
transmitted via a transmission path to the CPU 26. The CPU 26 can
adjust the illumination intensity of the lighting sources 122 and
126 to compensate for the ambient light within the cabinet 120.
In another preferred yet optional embodiment of the invention, each
illumination source 126A-126D is independently controlled by the
lighting control circuit 130. The lighting control circuit 130 can
couple via transmission path to the CPU 26. Lighting control
circuit 130 can be an electrical circuit card assembly of the type
commonly used for providing power to lighting sources. The circuit
card assembly can include an interface coupled to the CPU 26, a
power supply, and a set of relays. The lighting control circuit 130
can detect signals transmitted via the transmission path from the
CPU 26 and can activate the lighting sources 122A, 122B and
126A-126D through the relays responsive to the signals generated by
CPU 26. The construction of lighting control circuits is well known
in the art of electrical engineering and the practice of
alternative lighting control circuits does not depart from the
scope of the present invention. It should be apparent to one of
ordinary skill in the art that the cell lighting unit 34 depicted
in FIGS. 4 and 5 are merely illustrative of one embodiment of a
cell lighting unit 34 that can be practiced with the present
invention. Alternatively, cell lighting unit 34 can be constructed
for practice with the present invention and can include more or
less camera elements, more or less lighting units and alternative
lighting and camera control systems.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the system 10
illustrated in FIG. 1 provides a identification card manufacturing
and inspection system that achieves automated control of the
manufacturing process. In particular, the inspection system cell 12
can optionally include a CPU 26 that has a program element for
monitoring select characteristics of the data cards 90 being
manufactured by the system 10. Preferably this program element is
an automated control program that measures select characteristics
of the manufactured data cards 90 to determine the operating
conditions of the system 10.
For example, the control program element of CPU 26 can monitor the
gray scale of text data recorded onto each data card 90. The
control element can compare between successive runs of data cards
90 the gray scale of text data recorded onto each data card 90. The
control element generates a gray scale signal that can be stored in
the memory element of CPU 26 and that indicates the relative
darkness of text recorded onto the data cards. The control element
26 can display this information on a optional monitor element (not
shown) for review by a system operator. The system operator can
determine from this displayed signal whether the system 10 requires
more ink, or requires that a printing head of the recorder 14 be
more closely contacted to the blank cards moving through the
recording unit 14. Similarly, the control element of CPU 26 can
measure the relative orientation of text data being recorded onto
the data card 90. The control program element can generate an
orientation signal that indicates the relative angle of orientation
of text recorded onto the data card 90 over successive runs of the
system 10. This signal can also be displayed on the optional
monitor so that a system operator can determine if the mechanical
assembly that holds data card 90 while information is recorded
thereon, is beginning to loosen or whether another type of
mechanical failure is beginning to effect the recording of data
onto blank data cards. The control program element preferably
includes an averaging unit that operates the CPU 26 to generate an
average signal for each of the monitored characteristics, that
represents the average value of the characteristic during the
manufacture of data cards 90 requested by a single manufacturing
batch request signal. These average characteristic signals can be
stored in the data memory of the CPU 26.
In this way, the system 10 provides an automated system for
manufacturing and inspecting identification cards that provides an
operator with information representative of the operating condition
of the system 10 and can provide the operator with information
indicative of a failure, such as an empty ink cartridge, before the
failure occurs. Furthermore, the average characteristic signals
provide an operator with information representative of changes of
the operating condition of the system 10 between different
manufacturing batches.
In a further aspect of the present invention, methods are provided
for manufacturing and inspecting identification cards. These
methods, which have been described and made apparent with reference
to the systems described above, can include steps of collecting
information such as image information, demographic information,
identifying information, and other such information commonly
recorded onto an identification card and assembling the information
into a data record that includes an identification signal
representative of that particular data record. Each data record can
be used for generating one individual identification card or one
particular type of identification card. In a further step a network
job builder can generate a manufacturing batch request signal that
includes one or more data records signals. The manufacturing batch
request signal can be transferred in a subsequent step to a
systems, such as the system 10, illustrated in FIG. 1, for
manufacturing an identification card for each of the data record
signals in a manufacturing batch request.
In a further step, the system 10 records information including the
identification signal onto a series of blank cards to generate data
cards 90. The manufactured data cards 90 are passed to a vision
inspection cell 12 that reads the identification signal encoded
onto the data card 90 and requests from an memory element the
complete data record associated with that identification signal.
The vision inspection cell 12 acquires images of the data card 90
and compares the acquired images with the image signals stored in
the associated data record. The vision inspection cell 12 generates
as a result of the comparison, a signal, such as a failed to
manufacture signal or a successful manufacture signal that
indicates whether the recording unit 14 has successfully recorded
the correct data, in the correct format onto the data card 90.
In one practice of the invention, the inspection cell passes each
card generated by the recording unit 14 onto a packaging unit 16.
In a further step, the packaging unit 16 receives each data card 90
in sequence from the vision inspection cell 12. Each data card 90
is placed in an output hopper 62 and the packaging unit removes one
card from the output hopper 62 while simultaneously receiving a
identification signal from the vision inspection cell. The
packaging unit 16 includes a signal decoding unit that can decode
the identification signal recorded onto the data card 90 the
recorded identification signal is compared with the identification
signal sent from the vision inspection cell 12, and if the signals
match, the packaging unit 16 places the data card 90 into a carrier
element, requests the completed data record from the vision
inspection cell 12, and records demographic data, such as address
data, onto the carrier element for delivery through the mail.
Alternatively, if the identification signal decoded by the
packaging unit 16 does not match with the identification signal
recorded onto the data card 90, the packaging unit 16 places the
data card 90 in a rejection bin.
The invention has been described above with reference to certain
illustrated embodiments. The description of the illustrated
embodiments provide a more fuller understanding of the invention,
however, the invention is not to be limited to the illustrated
embodiments of the description thereof, and the invention is to be
interpreted according to claims set forth herein.
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